Rules for Online Campaign Organizers

cross posted at www.plunderbund.com

1. No BS. Save your slick PR and spin for the masses. Those of us engaged and online typically know a bit more about current events than the average Jane. Not all of us, but most. I suggest you stick to the straight talk and cut the shit early and often.

2. Money - Don't ask for money. Have a place to do it. Make it prominent. But don't make it your primary mission in online strategy. It won't work. The blogosphere especially hates being seen as one big virtual ATM. Give us ideas, give us leadership and vision, inspire us. The money follows this...never before!

3. Ads - we don't buy `em. Neither should you. One of the beautiful things about being online is I can get software to block the things, even cool flash ones. The Internet and blogs are not an online version of the nightly news. Unless it is an issue that we care deeply about, we ain't lookin. Most likely you are wasting money on the ad buy, and quite possibly if you do it wrong it will cause more harm than good. Just enter the space and talk with us. Ads are a form of talking AT us.

4. Ads Part 2 - If you do decide this kind of "visibility" is what you want, make it that. Don't run ads that try to trick us. One thing you need to learn now is that bloggers are a very critically thinking sort. We'll figure it out (one of us), then the rest will spread the news faster than Billy Carter can open a six pack.

5. Spam - If you are ever in a meeting and someone says, "Hey, let's copy and paste the latest press release on as many blogs as we can...in their comment sections", fire the fucker. On the spot. He's killin' you. People who live and breath in the online world like spam about as much as having fingernails removed with chainsaws. Never, EVER, do this.

6. Identity - Let us know who you are. Don't hide it. Use your real name and have your candidate do the same. Don't have someone blog or comment using a candidate's name. And whatever you do, do NOT comment or post as multiple people. We'll figure it out and it will be reported on multiple blogs. Imagine being in a room and farting and having six people with megaphones point this out to the crowd. Unpleasant to say the least. Just don't do it.

7. Invitations - Invite us in, give us the tools we need to spread your message. If we like it, we'll do it. If we don't we may not. But don't get mad. You don't own us. We own you. Deal with it. Focus on crafting your message and doing the best job you can. We'll take care of the rest.

8. Tools - If you have tools for bloggers, make sure you use them. If you have us give you our email addresses and we never get in on any scoop or inside information...or worse yet NEVER hear from you, guess what? Yep, we'll blog about it.

9. Participate - You and your candidate. Become a genuine part of the discussion. Blogs are about voice and everyone has one. Add yours to it, don't try to talk over ours. It won't work. Our megaphones are bigger online. Elsewhere you got us, but online we got you.

10. Be real. If you are not, we'll again figure it out and blog about it. Speak in your natural voice. The one you use when you talk to your kids. It's the only one we care about.

•  Yup

  I'd say that just about covers it.

  by Andrew C White on Wed Nov 30, 2005 at 09:35:08 PM PDT

  •  I just want to say to all

    Thank you.  I have only been blogging for about a month. It was one of those, "You have to do this."  So I did.
    I have to say, I have gone to smaller sites to develop some policy wording, and had great response, and I have had some good responses from people here as well, and I thank them again.  I ask, if I or anyone in my campaign makes a misstep and is ever out of line, that you let me know about it.  

    This world of blogs existed before I came here, and I respect that.  Thanks for pointing out some things to avoid.

    Sincerely,

    Barry Welsh IN-06

    by Barry Welsh on Wed Nov 30, 2005 at 10:45:06 PM PDT

•  Excellent

  No BS. Save your slick PR and spin for the masses. Those of us engaged and online typically know a bit more about current events than the average Jane. Not all of us, but most. I suggest you stick to the straight talk and cut the shit early and often.

  I'd add: cut the rhetoric. Stop speaking in vague generalities and focus-group-tested phrases. Realize that you're probably talking to people who are already likely to support you, but don't pander. Don't talk about all the bad things that your opponent and their party has done. We know it. Talk about the good things you're going to do to fix it, and how we can help.

  If you are ever in a meeting and someone says, "Hey, let's copy and paste the latest press release on as many blogs as we can...in their comment sections", fire the fucker.

  This should be part of a larger point: stop hiring the typical campaign managers and teams. Try to find people who are genuinely passionate, not the sociopaths who play everything by the numbers. And realize that no matter how much experience a campaign manager has, they're not always right. In the end, it has to be your call; people are voting for you, not your campaign team.
  Find new ways for your online supporters to contribute too. The liberal blogs are an interesting resource, but forget about money.

  To expand upon another point, there was a diary by a Congressional candidate recently, and near the end they asked for donations. STOP DOING THAT. NO NO NO. STUPID STUPID STUPID.
  I don't like being asked for donations. No one wants to be asked for donations. If you're writing a diary here, provide a link to your website. Never, ever directly to a donation page. If we like you, we'll go to your website and donate. Make us want to donate, but never ask. We already understand that you could use all the money you can get. For example, give us poll data showing you have a real chance, and people will want to contribute.

  by nasarius on Wed Nov 30, 2005 at 09:40:54 PM PDT

  •  I am often guilty of this

    Don't talk about all the bad things that your opponent and their party has done. We know it. Talk about the good things you're going to do to fix it, and how we can help.

    It is sometimes, because I am angry, and it is more often than not, because I can't get local media to cover anything, and if people don't know what he is voting for, and what he is saying, they are not informed.  So sometimes this is the only place where the truth is told.

    That is important too.

    I do understand what you are saying, and I will try to post more of what I believe and not just what a skunk my opponent is.
    Thanks for reminding me of that.

    Barry Welsh IN-06

    by Barry Welsh on Wed Nov 30, 2005 at 11:00:36 PM PDT

  •  Great

    Great additions!  Thanks much.  That was the true intent of the diary really.  At my blog I am going to make this post a page also and continue to try to refine it.  Hopefully it will become useful to those entering the realm of online campaign manager and save all of us from some of the dumb stuff we have seen up to now.

    by ves man on Wed Nov 30, 2005 at 11:19:58 PM PDT

•  I don't mind the asking for money part

  One thing any politician must be able to do is ask for money.  If they believe in what they are doing it shouldn't be something to feel uncomfortable about.  I would rather they ask us than some insurance or banking corporation.
  Inspire us AND ask for money.  If I don't like the candidate I will not contribute.  But if I do, then I am fine with hearing about their financial needs.

  by TeresaInPa on Wed Nov 30, 2005 at 09:52:22 PM PDT

  •  Thanks for posting your

    view TeresaInPa.

    As a Candidate for Congress, I am not supposed to miss any opportunity to ask for any money.  No amount too small, that sort of thing.  

    I hate asking for money, but it has to be done.

    I am new to blogging, and just sort of jumped in.  I am learning, and it is good to hear what the views of the kos world regarding candidates.

    Thanks to all that have shared their opinions.

    Barry Welsh

    by Barry Welsh on Wed Nov 30, 2005 at 10:32:03 PM PDT

    •  I went to a camp Wellstone

      several years ago.  One of the things that was drilled into our heads was how important it was for candidates to be able to ask for contributions.  
      I know it is the part that would most likely keep me from running I would be so uncomfortable with it.  However it has to be done.  What I would suggest is studying the people who have been really good at getting those small donations even those you don't necessarily agree with.  
      They sucessful candidates seem to do a combination of listening to their constituents and following their needs, but also bringing people to their way of thinking through strong convictions.

      by TeresaInPa on Thu Dec 01, 2005 at 06:19:49 AM PDT

  •  Good Point

    I don't mean to say don't ask for money at all, just don't focus only on that.  I think the point is if you inspire us and involve us, then hell, we'll be out there asking others FOR you to give money.  

    by ves man on Wed Nov 30, 2005 at 11:13:06 PM PDT

    •  I think I have

      seen the sort of posts you are talking about, and I understand what you are saying, and again, Thanks for the initial diary.  There are going to be many new candidates come in, and need to know these things.

      Barry

      by Barry Welsh on Wed Nov 30, 2005 at 11:18:16 PM PDT

    •  I understand

      and I agree.  

      by TeresaInPa on Thu Dec 01, 2005 at 06:10:03 AM PDT

•  Question.

  Identity - Let us know who you are. Don't hide it. Use your real name and have your candidate do the same.

  When, how often, and where should a blogger who's working for a candidate disclose this fact?

  In every post made on behalf of the candidate? In every post, period? In every comment, as with a signature line? Once in a diary and then consider it on the record? In one's user profile?

  I don't know if there's any concensus on that, but what would people want to see?

  by Kagro X on Wed Nov 30, 2005 at 10:26:39 PM PDT

  •  Good Question

    I'm speaking primarily on identifying yourself, but you speak to a more complicated question of disclosure.  Not sure I know the answer, but it needs to be prominent.  

    Why would a post need to be "made on behalf of" someone else?  If it is a release, then say so.  If it is a quote, cite it as such.  

    My underlying point on identity is to just use one and use the REAL one.  

    by ves man on Wed Nov 30, 2005 at 11:18:14 PM PDT

    •  "on behalf of"

      What I mean is, let's say you're a staffer on a campaign, and you put up a diary about how great your candidate is. That'd be on your candidate's behalf. Not that you're ghost writing it, but rather that it's about the candidate, and inures to her benefit.

      The question is open for discussion by anyone, of course, and probably needs to be posed again. There's no agreed-upon format for disclosure, but there are several different possibilities. We know that people have taken Markos to task for "inadequate" disclosure, even though he had a permanent fixture on his front page that said he worked for Dean. We know that people have taken Jerome to task for the same thing, even though he frequently reminds everyone who he's working for. Today we have Karl Frisch working for Paul Hackett, which you can find out if you click on his name on any of his posted comments, and go to his user profile.

      All adequate? None adequate? It's something to think about and discuss further. This year there will only be more bloggers working for more campaigns, with correspondingly more disclosure needed, I suppose.

      by Kagro X on Thu Dec 01, 2005 at 05:08:49 AM PDT

      •  Great Addition

        Kagro,

        As usual your thoughts are clear and thoughtful.  I think it needs adding to the list.  I'm thinking of making the "money" point just one and adding a "Disclosure" point.  Thanks for this...it is extremely important to be included and I agree that it might take some work to get it distilled in a way that is most helpful to all.  

        ...workin' on it.

        by ves man on Thu Dec 01, 2005 at 10:17:58 AM PDT

        •  whoops

          meant the "ads" point of course.  I'll post the location of the permanent location for this so the points can evolve and people who want to take them and use them can...or take them and change them.  i'm sure some might want a more PG version!  LOL.

          by ves man on Thu Dec 01, 2005 at 10:19:37 AM PDT

        •  Thanks.

          I have a selfish motivation, besides the more community-oriented one, for asking.

          As I expect will happen more and more during the upcoming year, I have been asked whether I would have any interest in writing for candidate blogs during the election cycle. No firm plans yet, of course, and no decisions made. But one of my primary considerations will have to be what sort of disclosures should be made if any of this should come to pass. I assume that the growing popularity of campaign blogs will find more Kossacks approached with similar requests.

          by Kagro X on Thu Dec 01, 2005 at 10:21:30 AM PDT

  •  If a blogger is

    working for a candidate they should disclose it in an easily found manner. Certainly in a profile but I think, my opinion only here, that if they are posting on the candidate, the opponent, the campaign in general then it should be included at the bottom of the post.

    For instance, there is a candidate running for congress in my district. I am not paid by her campaign (though any checks would gladly be accepted) but have posted on her behalf a couple times. During the coming year I will probably be posting a great deal more about her campaign. At the bottom of each post I will be including the role in which I am posting the comment. As a campaign volunteer, or should my local DFA group endorse her then as the endorsing DFA group organizer, or in my role as a democratic town committee chair supporting her campaign. In other words no matter how this plays out I'm not just going to be the average voter interested in the campaign. I am that but I'm also these other things and it is only fair and proper to disclose those committments on my part. When in doubt disclose.

    by Andrew C White on Thu Dec 01, 2005 at 10:15:58 AM PDT

    •  when in doubt

      "When in doubt - disclose" is good advice and that wording will be included in a disclosure bullet point.  Thanks Andrew!

      by ves man on Thu Dec 01, 2005 at 10:21:51 AM PDT

•  Yup.

  It's really uncool to directly ask for campaign contributions. No matter what else you may have to say, people get the impression it's all you care about.

  by ben masel on Thu Dec 01, 2005 at 12:17:25 AM PDT

•  Permanent Home

  For all those who have given their input, thanks much!  I have made my original blog post into a page and have included the changes related to combining the Ad bullet into one and adding a "Disclosure" bullet.  (Thanks Kagro and Andrew)

  Rules for Online Campaign Organizers

  by ves man on Thu Dec 01, 2005 at 10:35:27 AM PDT